Push-pull controls, mounted for example on the vehicle instrument panel and which control via a cable some function of the engine for example, are usually designed so that the operating cable can be easily attached or released from the control. In a known control of the type described by way of introduction, for this purpose a connector element joined to a control cable is made with a radial bore from which a radial groove extends to the end of the element facing the push-pull rod. The groove is narrower than the bore. The push-pull rod has at its end a portion with smaller diameter than the rest of the push-pull rod which portion terminates in a ball. By adapting the ball to the radial bore and the end portion to the groove, the parts can be coupled together by slipping the ball and the neck portion laterally down into the bore and groove. After connection to the control housing, the surrounding cable casing prevents unintentional decoupling of the parts.
Usually the cable casing is fixed to the housing with the aid of a threaded nut or sleeve, which is screwed over a threaded portion of the housing. If this connection should become unscrewed, for example due to vibration and insufficient tightening of the nut, there is nothing to secure the connection between the control cable connecting element and the push-pull rod and the result will be that the components will either be disconnected from each other or become misaligned with the resulting risk that they will jam in the control housing.
The purpose of the present invention is to secure by simple means a control device of the type described by way of introduction against disconnection or misalignment of the above-mentioned parts should the connection between the cable casing and the control housing become disconnected.
This is achieved according to the invention by virtue of the fact that the push-pull rod surrounded by a sleeve element, which is limited displaceably relative to the push-pull rod and is springloaded towards an end position, in which it engages the connector and prevents it from moving relative to the push-pull rod in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis.
In addition to the above described secury against disconnection, the sleeve element aids in centering the connector element, which contributes to reducing friction between the control housing and the moving parts.